A different Pangaea format this year in
Game 2 FRI afternoon saw the
Saturday started with a make or break game against the Heat from
The crossover game Saturday afternoon matched the Group B 3rd place Turks against Group A 2nd place Fattboyz/Guzzlers. The game would have no impact on Sunday so with all pressure off the Turks sat back and soaked in one of the most enjoyable games of the weekend. Turks distributed playtime and matched up well against a FBGZ team who hadn’t been told yet they aren’t quite what they used to be. Missed opportunities allowed FBGZ to take a lead they would not relinquish. Showing a tremendous amount of depth and character, the Turks still fought back to make it a game late before dropping the final round robin game by 10 or so runs. Big D by SS Sean Boyd and offensive leaders Chris Unertl and Mike Elko shared game balls with 3 hits a pc.
Sunday started the same way the year previous had set up with the
To repeat as champs, the
Turks Take Manila!
The good lord knows that birds fly south for the winter!! This year our birds flew south and took home some hardware with them! After a slow start to the 15th anual Pangea Cup the Turkey's are your 2008 champions!
The tournament started auspicously as the Birds lost a low scoring affair to Meralco in the first game. In the next game they were tested by their upstart breathren the Razorbacks. In what was a highly emotional game the Turks were able to eek out a one run victory in a game they very well could have lost. Chad Boyd single handedly carried the Turks on his back coming up with huge plays with both his bat and glove. Under appreciated but always clutch Eric Turner had a two out game winning hit to seal it. They ended Friday 1-1.
Saturday was a whole new day as the Turks romped in their first first game over the Tokyo Premier Ghost Rider's. Purple Wayne and Hasbun had huge games defensively and Saturday reinforcment Cave Mann went 4-4. In the next game the Turks needed to beat the Gorilas to ensure they would make it to the winner's bracket. They jumped out early on the bat of Joe Duke and turned the game over to Loo who shut the Gorilas down the rest of the way. The stage was set for Sunday as both the Turks and Gas House were in the semi's. The boys were dreaming of an all Hong Kong final!
The Turks drew the early game where they met up with a red hot Guzzlero's team. They jumped out to an early 8-0 lead but quickly gave the 8 runs right back. Tied 8-8 in the 5th the Turkey's put their webbed feet down and stomped on the meatheads from Korea!! Dirty Ford hit a key three run bomb and again Chad Boyd continued his hit brigade. Mac and Loo were also huge and suddenly the Turkey's were in full flight! Unfortunately the Gas House didn't keep up their end of the All-HK final and now the Turks would have to pick their brothers up by knocking off the team that eliminated them in the semi's- Meralco and their 75 year old moon ball pitcher!
I'd love to build a little drama and tell you how the Turks pulled out a nail biter to win the championship but unfortunately that didn't happen. Rather they came out and absolutley dominated those bastards from Manila in an 11-1 rout!! Four double plays were turned by Hasbun, Dirty and Mac and Loo only faced 22 batters as he completely shut down the Meralco line up! Chad Boyd continued his ownership of the Pangea Cup and Mac went 4-4. And that was it, Hong Kong was bringing home the hardware!!!
Loo took home Pitcher of the Tourney and Mac was MVP. It needs to be pointed out that both Mac and Chad had ENORMOUS tourney's and it was almost impossible to pick out the MVP. In a gesture to what a teammate he is Chad agreed that the award should go to Mac.
Congratulations Dirty Birds you are the 2008 Pagea Cup CHAMPIONS!!